Inside the Capital Suburban Garrison dungeons.
"Cough, cough, cough!"
In the innermost cell, where no light ever reached, a soft, restrained cough echoed. Moments later, unable to hold it back any longer, the man succumbed to a fit of violent coughing.
A bucket of rice water mixed with swill was unceremoniously dumped inside, splashing across the floor.
"Bang!" A man gripped the bars, revealing a gaunt, triangular face with a sharp, monkey-like grin, laughing like an evil ghost from hell. "A noble Imperial Grandson, reduced to this state. Truly, it is..."
He spat out two sentences, but the young man with his back to him remained unmoved. The faint, murky light filtering through the high window caught the youth’s thin frame, casting a shadow that was frail yet held an unwavering, upright poise.
The young man simply lowered his head. Despite the pervasive stench and the oppressive gloom, he reached out and carefully folded the handkerchief he had been coughing blood into, hiding the crimson stains.
His robes were thin, yet he stood like a pine. Even after two days in this dungeon, his hands remained clean. He didn't even grant the guard a glance, instead raising his eyes to the only window that allowed a sliver of light to enter.
"Damn it! You're a dying man! What are you acting so high and mighty for!"
"You think I don't dare to come in and lay a hand on you?"
The guard, thoroughly provoked, yanked the keys from his belt, unlocked the cell door with a few quick movements, and stormed inside.
"You son of a bitch!"
The guard reached for the youth, but in the next instant, with a thunderous "Slap!", the young man was knocked aside into the swill, his clothes stained with grime, his face splattered with mud.
He collapsed to the floor. The side of his face, struck by the blow, quickly swelled and reddened. His slender fingers dug into the dirt, and he struggled twice, trying to lift his face from the mire.
"Bang!"
The guard kicked him, stepping on his head and grinding it back into the muddy water.
"Your grandfather is about to be executed! Imperial Grandson! And your father, the Deposed Crown Prince, is likely kneeling outside the Imperial Study right now!"
"You’re about to die yourself! What is there for you to be so arrogant about!"
His jade-like features were smeared with filth. He closed his eyes, refusing to listen or look, as if closing his eyes could help him survive this grueling ordeal.
"Damn it! Have you been struck dumb?"
Enraged, the guard hauled him up by his collar, intent on pummeling the Imperial Grandson again, but a sudden "Squelch!" echoed through the room. Hot blood sprayed across the Imperial Grandson's face.
The guard froze, his eyes widening as a sharp blade tip suddenly protruded from his nose.
"Thud!"
The guard dropped dead, and the Imperial Grandson collapsed with him.
A figure concealed in the darkness, clad in black robes, wiped the blood from their dagger against their sleeve. The indifferent eyes behind a mask scrutinized the youth, saying nothing.
The Imperial Grandson propped himself up and sat slowly, using his handkerchief to wipe the filth from his face. "Please, wait a moment. Let me tidy my appearance. If you kill me like this, my mother will be heartbroken."
The intruder let out a cold laugh: "Imperial Grandson, Xiao Wuji? You really are as the rumors say—a celestial being fallen to the mortal realm, as exquisite as a painting."
The Daqing Imperial Grandson, the eldest son of the Deposed Crown Prince, once a monstrous genius of Daqing, and now... a prisoner, a beast trapped in a cage.
Xiao Wuji chuckled: "Those are all just hearsay and lies. I am merely a dying man, with no name and no standing. To have lived until today..."
He sat straight, looked up at the stranger, and smiled: "Is already a life lived to its limit."
"If you would be so kind as to honor those rumors and grant me a swift end, I would be most grateful."
"Once I reach the Underworld, I will pray for your blessings."
The assassin was stunned, never expecting to hear such words from Xiao Wuji.
"You really are a strange man. I am only acting under orders. The old emperor believes in destiny, and those rumors of your destiny act as a shield. If you do not die today, I fear you will be impossible to kill later. Imperial Grandson, go in peace."
With that, a flash of silver streaked through the air. Xiao Wuji closed his eyes, facing death with equanimity.
Just then, a thunderous "Bang!" rang out, followed by a series of deafening roars from outside. Then, a figure in azure burst through the stone wall and appeared instantly in front of Xiao Wuji.
"Who dares touch my benefactor!" she roared.
"Squelch!"
The dagger pierced her body, but not a drop of blood flew out.
The assassin was so shocked by this unnatural, god-like feat that he lost focus. By the time he regained his senses, his throat had been seized. A bone-crushing sound followed; he didn't even see who it was before his head dropped to his chest.
"Benefactor! Let's go!"
Hearing the voice, Xiao Wuji opened his eyes. He felt a superhuman force wrap around his waist, hoisting him up as if he were a mere sapling, and then she carried him out through the massive hole in the wall...
Wait! A hole!
How could there be such a huge hole in the dungeon?
From the dungeon entrance to his cell, she had smashed through heavy obstacles, finally tearing a jagged rift through the bedrock and wall of his room.
The creator of this "divine miracle" was, of course, our Lingxiao.
After punching through the outer wall, she had rushed back just in time to intercept the assassin’s blade. If she had been a moment later, her benefactor would have had his throat slit!
She gave silent thanks to Yama, thanks to the Underworld—her divine strength was even more formidable than she had imagined!
A fierce wind whistled past Xiao Wuji. Tiny Lingxiao could not block all of it, and since Xiao Wuji—having survived—no longer wished to die, he lowered his head, cautiously nestled against Lingxiao’s head, and gripped her hem, curling his entire body into her arms.
The Imperial Grandson stood eight feet tall, yet he was now so frail that it seemed a gust of wind could blow him away.
Arrows rained down from behind, but not a single one touched the Imperial Grandson.
He looked earnestly at the girl who had suddenly crashed into his dungeon, observing her youthful face, and as he took in her features, his eyes flickered with emotion.
Dozens of miles away from the Capital Suburban Garrison, Lingxiao still felt anxious, but she knew she couldn't run aimlessly. She set Xiao Wuji down and knelt before him.
"Imperial Grandson, I was in such a rush that I have offended you."
Xiao Wuji, sitting on a tree stump, was so startled by her sudden solemnity that his feet retreated, heels clicking together.
His lips moved, but he shook his head. Lingxiao noticed the filth on him and hurriedly fished a handkerchief from her bosom to hand to him.
Xiao Wuji lowered his eyes, the corners reddening.
He took the cloth and meticulously wiped his hands and the stains on his body. The two sat in silence, yet Xiao Wuji had never felt such a sense of security.
He wiped his face clean before looking up at Lingxiao. He tried to control his voice, but it still trembled: "How... how did you come to save me?"
Lingxiao looked up. It had been two years since she last saw her benefactor.
He was even thinner than before, his spirit so fragile it seemed it could dissipate at a breath. His withered body appeared devoid of all hope.
His flame of life flickered weakly in the wind, and his eyes held no luster.
Even though Lingxiao was a person without a heart, she felt a pang of discomfort. She said: "I... Benefactor, perhaps you do not remember, but you once saved me. I am all alone now, with no one to hold me back. There is only you, Benefactor. I cannot forget your kindness. I... whenever you are in danger, I will appear."
"I will not let anyone hurt you."
Lingxiao remembered what Yama had told her before sending her out.
"You must not have too much contact with Xiao Wuji, but your fates are intertwined. Once he is in danger, you will sense it. He is a man of great capability, but his luck has been stolen, causing him to lose his chance."
"And you, you are his chance now."
"However, the connection I speak of must be covert. You are a person without a fate, the only unconstrained pawn on this chessboard of death. You must set things right. His life is supreme and noble; if you get too involved, it will affect his recovery."
"But you may still guard him from the shadows. Above all, remember: once you discover who is stealing Xiao Wuji’s luck, you must! You must slay those demons and monsters!"
So Lingxiao looked at Xiao Wuji and paused: "Imperial Grandson, you may... consider me your shadow guard."
Xiao Wuji’s lips pressed together, his emotions unreadable: "Who ever heard of someone appointing themselves a shadow guard?"
Lingxiao looked at him: "Then, Your Highness..."
Xiao Wuji suddenly spoke: "I remember, you said to me... if we were to meet again, what would you call me?"
Lingxiao was stunned, blurting out instinctively: "Changsheng..."
She looked at Xiao Wuji. Her benefactor actually remembered—remembered who she was, remembered their pact.
Xiao Wuji began to laugh. His smile was radiant, blooming for an instant like an Epiphyllum, stunning the moonlight and the world alike. The heartless girl was dazed, not quite understanding why he was laughing so suddenly.
She merely marveled that her benefactor was truly beautiful, with a countenance no mortal could possess.
Xiao Wuji nodded: "Mm. And what is your name?"
"Lingxiao!"
Xiao Wuji froze. His hands clenched tightly, crushing the handkerchief. "You are called... Lingxiao?"
Lingxiao nodded vigorously: "Yes!"
Xiao Wuji’s eyes trembled. Then, he lowered his head: "It is a lovely name."
"Your... Your Highness Changsheng, where should I take you?"
Xiao Wuji heard her words and looked up at the moonlight. For some reason, hope welled up in his heart.
This hope made him change his mind.
He... he wanted to live after all.
"Take me to the Princess’s Residence. My aunt is the only one who can save me now."
She was also the only one he could beg for a chance to save his grandfather. Since he had survived, he had to find a way for his father and grandfather, even if everything seemed like a foregone conclusion.
His family was shattered, perhaps beyond saving, but he had to try.
Lingxiao nodded immediately. She stepped forward and, despite Xiao Wuji’s involuntary recoil, grabbed his waist and soared into the sky!
"Your Highness Changsheng, I cannot stay by your side for too long, but rest assured: if you are ever in danger, I will come to you the moment I know."
"Very well, then I..."
"If you wish to see me, carry this."
Lingxiao pressed a string of red bells into Xiao Wuji’s hand. "As long as you shake them, I will hear you and return to see you."
Xiao Wuji was stunned, shaking them twice in disbelief: *Jingle, jingle, jingle.* The red bells rang out crisply. Lingxiao’s ears twitched; she had already received the signal.
These red bells were a magical artifact given to her by Yama, called the 'Sympathetic Bells,' designed so that Xiao Wuji could summon her whenever he pleased.
"Even from far away?"
Xiao Wuji lowered his head to look at the small, beautiful bells. Even though it seemed unbelievable, everything that happened tonight felt like a dream, and he... he really did not want to wake from this dream.
"Mm-hmm!"
The city walls seemed non-existent to Lingxiao, and she soon delivered Xiao Wuji to the Princess’s Residence.
As Lingxiao made to leave, Xiao Wuji suddenly spoke: "You... get some rest..."
That was not what he had actually wanted to say, but a heartless person could not feel the fluctuations of another’s emotions. She nodded, seeing nothing wrong with his words.
She vanished into the night.
"Your Highness? It’s the Imperial Grandson!"
The staff of the Princess’s Residence saw his silhouette and shouted in joyful surprise. Xiao Wuji subconsciously tucked the red bells into his sleeve and turned back to offer a small smile, but when he looked again, Lingxiao was gone.
The people of the residence swarmed out, and Xiao Wuji was ushered inside. He clutched the bells tightly, finally realizing that he had cheated death and saved his life.
Lingxiao...
Why did she change her name?
What had happened to her in the capital these past two years?
She possessed martial arts and the power to protect herself, unlike him—drifting through the world, repeatedly suppressed and assassinated, his loved ones all meeting violent ends.
He had thought he wouldn't survive, but now, he had. And so, he had to scheme for himself and his remaining kin.
Lingxiao, thank you...